As is well known, peanut butter consists of a mixture of ground, roasted peanuts, oils or fats, and often one or more sweetening agents and salt. The general process of manufacturing peanut butter is well known. However, in the production of organic peanut butters, particularly those free of hyrdrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats, a common problem faced by manufacturers is that the product tends to separate after manufacture—where the oils present in the peanut butter rise to the top of the product over time. In some cases, organic peanut butter package labels may reflect a very short shelf life in order to maintain its appeal to consumers who dislike the separated oil. Alternatively, users of organic peanut butters may either stir or blend the contents before use or store them at reduced temperatures (refrigerated) to prevent or slow the separation process.
As noted, during the storage of peanut butter a layer of liquid oil tends to form on the top of the product. This tendency may be overcome to some extent by the addition of stabilizers or stabilizing agents such as monoglycerides and edible lipids, often consisting of high melting point fats and oils such as partially or completely hydrogenated fats or oils as commonly practiced by many peanut butter manufacturers. It is known that many such stabilizers form a crystalline structure when cooled, where the structure entraps free oil, preventing it from separating from the ground peanut particles.
With increased attention by consumers to health and particular food sources, the demand for organic peanut butter has also increased. However, the above-noted oil separation problems are typically present in organic peanut butter blends that do not employ some form of stabilizer. Accordingly, in order to provide discerning consumers with an organic peanut butter that has the consistency and appearance of conventional peanut butters (e.g., non-organic brands), the present invention is directed to an improved peanut butter formula and method of manufacturing. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved organic peanut butter having a stabilizing agent that, when incorporated into peanut butter, will yield a product having improved or longer-term storage stability including reduced oil separation.
One problem solved by the present invention is a technical problem caused by government regulations that impose standards on the food industry, in particular 21 CFR 164.150 and the nature of the stabilizer used. The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) defines “peanut butter” as at least 90% peanuts and no more than 55% total fats. In order to create an organic peanut butter that emulates what is considered to be ‘regular’ store peanut butter in all its characteristics (appearance, taste and mechanical functionality), and one that could be labeled as “peanut butter” the present invention required considerable experimental effort. For example, in one formulation produced in accordance with the present invention the peanut content is 90.3 g per hundred or 90.3%, very close to the minimum. At the other end the total fat had to be very closely controlled. In other words, the fat in the peanuts plus 6 grams of added fat in the form or organic palm oil, is 15.78 grams per 30 gram serving. This results in a 52.6% fat content. This pushes toward the 55% limit. Accordingly, the present invention is able to achieve “peanut butter” within specified governmental limits, while eliminating the need for hydrogenated fats as stabilizers.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a peanut butter comprising: organically grown, dry-roasted, ground peanuts; and from about 5 wt % to about 7 wt % of a non-hydrogenated, vegetable oil.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing peanut butter comprising the steps of: (a) grinding organically grown, dry-roasted, ground peanuts in a mill; (b) combining, during milling or in a second milling operation, ingredients comprising from about 5% to about 7% by combined weight of non-hydrogenated oil, said combining producing a heated mixture with a temperature at least as high to maintain the oil in a liquid state; and (c) cooling the heated mixture produced in step (b) to a temperature sufficiently low to produce a dispensable mixture.
One aspect of the invention deals with a basic problem in the manufacture of peanut butters, and more particularly the manufacture of organic peanut butters. This aspect is further based on the discovery of a technique that alleviates this problem. The technique employs organic, non-hydrogenated vegetable oils as a stabilizing agent—particularly palm oil.
The technique described above is advantageous because it is a cost-effect and completely organic method of producing a peanut butter that is resistant to oil separation. As a result of the invention, organic peanut butter may be made in a manner that produces a consumer-acceptable product.
The present invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment, however, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention to the embodiment described. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.